Test Reviews

This Lilliputian shooter looks like a toy or perhaps a gadget the circa-60s James Bond might have carried to surreptitiously snap nefarious goings-on. But the DCC 14.0 is actually a fully functional 14-megapixel camera, styled to look like a classic German-made SLR.

Given its specs, the DCC 14.0 might appear limited at first. The camera has no built-in flash and struggles in low light (not surprising given how tiny its sensor is). Video is captured at a paltry resolution of 640 by 480 pixels—a far cry from your smartphone’s HD movies.

So beyond its very charming form, why bother toting the DCC 14.0 around? For its surprisingly accurate optical viewfinder, a feature usually found only on larger cameras. Instead of thoughtlessly tapping a touchscreen, you bring a camera with a viewfinder up to your eye and take the time to frame your shot.

It’s a small shift that can change the way you think about photography—and it’s available in a camera that’s small enough to pack as an afterthought.